Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-01-15
Well Told, but Rather an Improbable
Story.


From the Chic1go He,a1d.
"Brakeman Wells was surely at fault in Tho
Rio accident" sad railroad man who now
h0 d. a prominent position in the service Of =
Chicago company, but who " as once a brake
man on freight tram. sit Wa his duty 10
close the switch. and he failed. The corduc-
tor probably I'D all that was proper to satisfy
himself that the inc Ws7 clear. The fact *
WIS in IL position Like hat Of Brakeman
We Is once myself | don't often sneak OF
it, but viii on this occasion If you will prom
1872 not to use my name. You see thai my
hair is gray Will tell you how it came so
IT was ab ut seven years ago, ana was the
rear brakeman ON freight. We took 4 SD
ing to 1T p .s>enger tran pas, lust a. in
the Rio ahal 1t was my duty 10 close the
switch, bag | didn't d. it, had norh
in else to do, bat forgot IL. / went a few
ears ahead and sat down on top OF a box-car
v iting for he passenger, amt looking in tn ,
direction whence it was to come. A few rods
up The road a a curve N q cut, and il mu-t
nave been seven or eight mtnu'es that sat
there dong nothing. | was thinking about
the passenger tram. and md nothing e Sc on
my mind. Yet il did not occur to me that
: had neglected my duty. Why the thought Of
thnpgh ma not come INTO ny m nd | do not
know. Dld you ever forget an import4nt
matter waen thcre was every reason IN the
/ world why you should not forget il? . course
! you h1ye-that Is an experience that comes
10 us all. 1t was the eXpere ce Of Brakeman
| Wcls-it was mine. No tNOught Of he switch
! came to me untl | saw tine headlight on the
[ tSst ger en- lllt up the fOdt. Intn II HASH
ed on me Ike a stfok Of lightning. For
a second was paraiyZed. You can't Imagine
my feelings / seemed TO he cavfng in. It
! was not the sensation of bursting that YOU
| read OF IL such instances, but quite the re
! verse. Something seemed to be crushing me-
| The feeling was particularly strong on nv
! head and about my hear. know now what
! caused IT, 1t was the stOppage OF the action
| OF the heart. As | said, for second 1 was
| parals Zed. Then jun ped headlong from the
| top OF the car, sprained my ankle IN falling,
| bu got on my feet in second and ran q,
| fast AS could go toward he switch, Imag ne
my feelings. II had had a million dollars
hen would have oten willing 10 give II all
| ii | could have had my hand on the switch
lever. | would gladll have given my life to
be at that IN lment ten rods to the
east. 1t seemed that ! could not run.
My legs were thick aud stn, and
my feet as heavy as II they ere N ade OF lead.
You have had Nightmares IN which you tired
10 move TO save Yourself from great danger,
but couldn't stir, have you MOI? Well, this
was nightmare in real life. / saw thst
c uld not reach the switch. and was about
ready 10 lalnt / remember. also. an in
distinct purpose to throw myself on the side
track and perish with ms victims, when al
walton came to me and to the train. which
was running TO sure destruction. j saw
man jump 10 the switch lever. / saw the red
light displaced by green one-the most well
come sight that ever came before my eyes
aud as sans to the eaTtn, hall fantng with
JOY and excitement, ! have an indistinct
recollection OF hearing the train thunder by
with II shrek of satisfaction from the loco
motive.
'Who saved the train? A tramp. lie had
been lingering by, keeping out Of sight until
the freight was ready pun out. when he IN
tended TO jump on aud steal a ride. He had
seen the danger, and, being concealed among
the weeds in the ditch by the switch, had
jumped to the rescue. Though n tramp,
found him sterling fellow. He never gave
away my secret, and lie and have been like
brothers. Not even the conductor OF my
train knows tO this day that IL was not / " no
closed the switch That tramp N now sue
ces.ful railroad man, aud cd luck has $50
come to me. We have b tn been better men.
aud better railroad men FOR our experience OF
that evening""